Page 35 of He is Poison

Seth didn’t even slapDom’s hand away, curling up into a tighter ball. “I can still smell it,” Sethspat with so much loathing as if one of his family members had choked to deathon curry.

Dom felt a shiver gothrough Seth’s body and scratched his head.“Idon’t get it, did an Indian hottie give you the cold shoulder, or something?”

Seth groaned, hidinghis face in his hands. “The Triad fuckers fed it to me every day when I was rottingin their basement with a missing finger.”

Domenico frowned. Theinformation was so out of place in this situation that he wasn’t sure what todo with it. Weren’t they over the finger thing? It was healing nicely. “What?But they’re Chinese...”

Seth looked back athim, wide-eyed. “That’s all you have to say? Seriously? Racist and insensitiveat the same time. I’m sharing here! What the fuck? I don’t know. They must haveliked it. Or it was the closest takeout.”

“Or the cheapest.Suppose it could be from the supermarket,” fantasized Domenico. He would havejust bought some expiring ready meals. Or sandwiches even. Anyway, he wasn’tsure what the fuss was about. It wasn’t like Seth got ill from those things. Ordid he?

“What the fuck are youon about? I don’t care where they bought it.” Seth moved away from him on thefloor and rubbed his face. “Every time I smell it I remember how themotherfucker was sawing through the bone. Why are you even asking? You don’tcare. It doesn’t matter.”

Domenico stared athim, wondering what he could offer to lift Seth’s spirits. He didn’t want ascared grump at his side. “What did he use to remove it?”

Seth unclenched hishand and looked at it in the deep darkness behind the bed. “A knife.”

“Well, at least itwasn’t a saw. It would have torn the flesh.” Domenico slowly rolled to thefloor and reached out to touch Seth.

“Didn’t you get enoughof me today?” he asked, but held out the hand with the missing finger in a moveworthy of a skittish fawn, all trembles and hitched breaths.

Domenico snorted andbrushed the tips of his fingers over the warm palm. “Why? Are you afraid I’lllose interest?”

Seth gave him a blank,half-lidded stare and for once, Dom couldn’t read what hid behind it. “I don’twant the kind of interest you gave me today.”

Domenico squeezed thehand and pulled Seth over to him. When the scent of male skin hit his nostrils,it was like being served the sweetest of desserts but Domenico wouldn’t eatnow. “If you don’t want this kind of treatment, be good and behave.”

Seth sniffed like ascolded puppy and didn’t pull away, slowly settling into an embrace, with hisarms around Dom’s waist and his scruffy, unshaven face scratching Dom’s neck.It was nice to provide comfort, and the way Seth’s fingers dug into Dom’s fleshtold him his presence was appreciated. He leaned in and brushed his nose overthe shell of Seth’s ear. “The Chinese won’t touch you again. I’ll make sure ofthat.”

He didn’t get ananswer, but the grip tightened, and it felt as if Seth wanted to climb underDom’s skin to be safe. Domenico pulled the comforter down to the floor andtheir legs entwined. Soon Seth’s breath steadied and Domenico could fall asleepas well.

Chapter 7

Seth stirred the saucein the only pan they had. Maybe it wasn’t amazing, but at least it was properfood, and enough of it to last him for two days. He’d stolen some money out ofDom’s wallet, when Dom had been shaving, and had gone to the nearest store forsome ingredients. He wasnoteating fucking tikka masala again. He’deven met their downstairs neighbor on the way, and when she saw his groceries,they managed to communicate with their hands. She led him to a tiny garden inthe backyard and gave him some fresh basil and thyme. How great was that? Hedipped his finger in the sauce and checked the taste.Perfect.

Since the sauce wassimmering and needed no more attention, Seth rushed over to the window whereDom had left him a spreadsheet of things to check for when watching the girl.Vera Salieri. He was supposed to record her activities, guests, unusualbehaviors, and anything compromising he could spot, along with the times. Pieceof cake. He could even read a book in the meanwhile and managed to cook dinner.He was a freakingmachine.

And on top of that, Domhad to go somewhere first thing in the morning so he didn’t bother Seth, andthe day had been peaceful. Seth liked going to the gym and doing all sorts ofsports, but he had to admit that the series of push-ups he’d witnessed Dom doin the morning was pretty impressive. It was as if the guy didn’t get tired.Maybe he was on drugs?

Salieri was still on hertiny balcony, spread out in a beach chair and listening to music on her iPhone.Seth wanted,needed,to know exactly what she did, so he could know howbig her involvement was. Maybe she was just stupid and got herself into ashitty situation, or someone manipulated her. Oh well, she wasn’t doinganything, so he could go back to his book. He had to admit that he didn’texpect Dom to choose well, but the guy must have actually paid attention,because not only did he get Seth a vampire book, it had gay characters as well.With the action of the story based in Alaska, it was perfect escapism.

Before he even opened itthough, his cell phone rattled on the counter. He groaned, as there was onlyone person who could be calling him.

“What?” he answeredwithout much enthusiasm.

“What do you want fordinner? A kebab?” asked Domenico through the background noise.

Seth raised hiseyebrows, admittedly surprised. Domenico actually asked this time. “Nah, I’mfine, I’ve got something.”

The silence in thereceiver dawned on him like a bludgeon, twisting his stomach, but he didn’texpect Domenico’s tone to become so sharp and calm at the same time. He foundit hard to believe any human being could sound like that.

“I fucking told you tostay home. Are you stupid?”

“I only went to thecorner store. And I wore a hoodie, it’s fine.” He looked toward Vera, who gotup and went into her house.

“You’re a fucking joke,”said Domenico just before he hung up on Seth.

Seth pouted and lookedat his phone. “Fuck you, too,” he muttered and got up to stir the sauce. Was hesupposed to just take all the abuse thrown at him and turn the other cheek?Domenico damn well knew Seth couldn’t go to his father with a complaint. Whatwas he supposed to do? Say that Dom fucked him? That wouldn’t go down well foreither of them. And if he tried to lie and say Dom did something else to him,there was always Peter whom Dom could blackmail him with. Seth could bet Domhad photos or some shit like that.